SANTA CLARA — The 49ers’ top two 2025 NFL Draft picks, Mykel Williams and Alfred Collins, have not looked like All-Pro defensive linemen in the early days of training camp.
And that certainly is not what 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh is using to measure them at the early stages of their rookie seasons.
“The expectation for these rookies is that they show great growth and get better every day,” Saleh said Tuesday. “That’s the expectation.”
On that grade sheet, Williams and Collins are doing just fine.
Williams, the 49ers’ first-round pick at No. 11 overall, has the responsibility of learning different positions across the defensive line. He lines up at defensive end on base downs, then moves inside to rush the passer in nickel situations.
“It’s hard to see in there, but his pass rush on the inside’s been fantastic,” Saleh said.
Williams, 21, has all the physical skills and athleticism at 6-foot-5, 267 pounds.
“He’s got great feet,” Saleh said. “He’s kind of awkward because he’s long, he’s tall. He’s not a traditional three technique. He’s got great foot speed, strength, power, and length.
“It’s different for guards to go against a guy like him. He’s so good with his hands. He’s so good with his feet. He plays with great pad level, he’s got power. So, he’s a three-way player. He can run around you, he can run through you, he can counter, he’s showing all of it off.”
Williams is getting plenty of practice time and should get a lot of on-the-job experience as a rookie to hone his skills.
“He still has a long way to go,” Saleh said. “He’s going to be a good football player in this league. It may not come this year, but you could see it through practice that this kid, once he gets it, it’s going to be special.”
Collins, whom the 49ers drafted in the second round with the 43rd overall selection, also has unique physical gifts. At 6-foot-5, 332 pounds, he always could excel at the college level on brute force. But the NFL game is different.
Collins began training camp playing catchup, as he missed the entire offseason program due to a calf injury. While he has not experienced much success during 1-on-1 pass-rush drills, he is showing improvements as a run defender. Collins figures to make his impact along the 49ers’ defensive line on run downs.
“Alfred’s been getting better every day, getting his legs underneath him, showing some really good progress in the run game,” Saleh said.
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